1. Louis Armstrong - ‘Complete Hot Sevens’ (1927). He was called ‘Pops’ because he's known as the father of jazz. These recordings represent Louis Armstrong early in his career when he was at the forefront of innovations within melodic improvisation of jazz.
2. Dizzy Gillespie - ‘The Quintet Live At Massey Hall’ (1953). Called ‘The Quintet’ because the band had Charlie Parker, Bud Powell, Charles Mingus, Max Roach and Dizzy Gillespie. Great recording capturing the energy of bebop.
3. Miles Davis - ‘Sorcerer’ (1967). I personally feel this album was the most innovative of Miles' with his second great quintet, as the sound, compositional style and exploratory improvisation is still being emulated today.
4. Woody Shaw - ‘Stepping Stones’ (1978). Amazing live recording from the Village Vanguard, New York, capturing Woody Shaw in full flight who is considered the last great innovative jazz musician.
5. Wynton Marsalis - ‘Black Codes From The Underground’ (1986). This album conjures everything that has come before and represents the beginning of post-modern jazz. All the rhythmical, melodic and harmonic innovations are there and Wynton found his own way of ‘doing it’ on this recording.
Dan Quigley & His Hot Five play the Jazz On Sunday at the Brisbane Festival’s Spiegeltent Sunday Sep 15 from 2pm.